


Turn the Page

by KathyAgel



Category: Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Genre: Gen, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-21
Updated: 2016-06-21
Packaged: 2018-07-16 11:57:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7267171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KathyAgel/pseuds/KathyAgel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Missing scene from Eleven Days to Zero. Fourth in a series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Turn the Page

**Author's Note:**

> A Nexus Cycle story. Part of a miniseries of missing scenes from the Voyage pilot episode, “Eleven Days to Zero”.  
> To be read in the following order:  
> 1) Preemptive Strike  
> 2) Always a Friend  
> 3) Loose Ends  
> 4) Turn the Page
> 
> The title for this comes from a song by Bob Seger  
> More stories from The Nexus Cycle can be found at www.contraryrose.com.
> 
> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> Kathy

Turning away from his draft report of Seaview’s recently completed mission to the Arctic, Admiral Harriman Nelson picked up the ringing desk phone in his cabin. “Yes?” he snapped, annoyed at the interruption that had broken his concentration.

“Admiral, this is Sparks. I have a message for you from Admiral Stark. It came in Seaview’s specific code, sir, so I decrypted it. Shall I read it to you, Admiral?” There wasn’t an ounce of apology in Sparks’s voice, though he must have heard the obvious irritation in Nelson’s tone. 

Nelson relaxed and raised an eyebrow. Thirty-six hours, he thought. Not bad. Jiggs must have been in full steamroller mode. “Go ahead, Sparks,” he said, his tone more encouraging. The boy was only doing his job, after all. 

“Aye, sir. The text is as follows: ‘Mission accomplished. You got just what you wanted. You owe me, you old pirate – and you can bet your Irish ass I’ll collect – and damned soon. Jiggs.’ End of message, sir.”

Nelson suppressed a laugh at the discomfort in Sparks’s voice as the communications officer read Jiggs’s message aloud. “Thank you, Sparks. Please have Commander Morton report to me as soon as possible – and tell him personally. No intra-ship broadcast – this is for his ears only. Track him down if you have to.”

If Sparks thought the request was unusual, it wasn’t evident over the phone line. “Aye, sir. The XO is right here in the control room – I’ll tell him right away,” he acknowledged. 

Nelson hung up the phone, nodding in satisfaction at the aplomb Seaview’s communication officer had displayed at the request. Nelson knew his message would be relayed to Chip quickly and confidentially. Pushing the draft report to the side, he lit a cigarette, slouched in his chair, and let his thoughts wander – an act that was a welcome luxury after the intensity of this mission. 

People who didn’t know Chip Morton tended to underestimate him until they spent a little time around him – and usually, a little time was all it took to realize the superlative qualities the young lieutenant commander possessed. Nelson himself had recognized them when Chip was only a plebe at Annapolis, a student in Nelson’s Leadership class in the fall semester of his plebe year. 

To Nelson’s surprise, John Phillips had underestimated Chip in the very beginning, but that failing had been short-lived. A damn-the-torpedoes type, John had needed time to be able to see through the reserved façade Chip showed the world to the ultra-competent and highly-skilled officer lurking beneath, one whose personality complemented John’s own. Nelson had hoped that John and Chip would have eventually have become personal friends rather than merely CO and XO, but now, that would never be.

True, Phillips had mentored Chip, but he’d done it out of a sense of responsibility as his duty to his command – and to Nelson. The Admiral knew John would have preferred to choose his own XO when he’d assumed command of Seaview – but Nelson had chosen for him. It was a good choice – in fact, it was the only choice. John needed that steady balance and solid support that Chip, though decades younger, had been able to supply as his XO. 

Chip was good at his job, and he knew it. It showed in his posture, his body language, and the confident and comfortable way he dealt with Seaview’s officers and crew. John Phillips had been an outstanding sub driver, but had never felt it was his duty to be close to the crew. He’d left that to Chip, whose empathy for the men was a natural aspect of his personality. And Chip had done everything possible to help Seaview’s new crew settle in as each one reported to NIMR, then in its infancy. He’d gathered and provided information on relocation procedures, helped find lodging, set up a system for finding doctors, helped with legal aid, and, when necessary, provided a willing and sympathetic ear to anyone who wanted or needed one. 

It was no less than Nelson had expected, however. As a two-star on a shore tour as an instructor in marine biology and naval science at the United States Naval Academy, Nelson had recognized nascent leadership abilities in an eighteen-year-old plebe and had cultivated them the best he could during their common tenure at Annapolis. Ten years later, he had stolen that plebe, by then a lieutenant commander rocketing his way up the ranks, for his dream. It had been one of the best decisions he’d ever made. Seaview ran like a finely-tuned watch, due in large part to Chip’s solid administrative abilities and organizational magic. 

And the way Chip had held Seaview together in the wake of John’s death had been nothing but miraculous. With Nelson three thousand miles away, Chip had stepped into the breach, steadied and supported the crew and civilian employees, organized a memorial service, prepared Seaview, her officers and her crew for an emergency mission he hadn’t been briefed on, had Seaview ready to leave her berth as soon as Nelson had returned with orders – and had then dealt with a TDY captain who had an unfathomable chip on his shoulder. 

And now Nelson had to give him the news that the command that should have rightfully been his would be going to another. That would not be an easy discussion.

A familiar staccato triple rap on his cabin door put an end to his reverie. “Come,” he called out, refocusing on the matter at hand. 

The door opened and Chip stepped through, his expression all business, as usual. He closed the door behind him and stopped just a step or two inside the cabin, his posture just this side short of attention. “You wanted to see me, Admiral?”

Nelson straightened in his chair. “Yes, Chip. Come on in. Have a seat,” he said, inclining his head toward one of the chairs arrayed before his desk.

“Thank you, sir.” The tall blond sat down in one of the chairs, still giving the impression of standing at attention even while seated, and waited for Nelson to speak. 

Nelson took a moment to look him over. Nelson knew Chip hadn’t slept much since they’d left NIMR – if he wasn’t in the control room keeping his eye on Seaview’s operations, he was prowling the sub, checking on work parties, keeping things in order and complaints about Seaview’s interim skipper to a minimum as he smoothed the ruffled feathers of the crew and soothed their indignation. But despite that, he looked pressed and polished, not a perfectly-barbered hair out of place.

Then Nelson met Chip’s eyes, flat and dull instead of their normal bright blue, the skin under them looking shadowed and bruised, and the exhaustion there was clear to see. Nelson thought about ordering Chip to his rack for a few hours after their talk, but realized it would only be adding insult to injury once he’d given the younger man the news. 

Nelson stubbed out his cigarette forcefully. Enough delaying; time to give Chip the bad news. “Chip, I wanted you to be the first to hear this. You won’t be fleeting up to command Seaview.”

Chip nodded, his expression calm and relaxed as he absorbed Nelson’s statement. “I hadn’t expected to, sir. Even if you wanted to move me up, Naval Reactors would never allow it. We both know what Admiral Rickover thinks of me.”

Nelson tried to hide his surprise. “Even if I wanted to move you up?” he asked. “What makes you think I don’t?”

Chip’s calm demeanor never wavered. “Because I’m more valuable to you right where I am – especially now.”

“Care to explain that line of reasoning, Commander?” Nelson asked with some asperity.

“Yes, sir,” Chip said, nodding with perfect equanimity. “Seaview is a wounded boat right now, Admiral. We’ve lost our captain, lost a couple of men, we have several more who are suffering from a variety of injuries, and Seaview herself has sustained substantial damage. The men need me where I am, sir, Seaview needs me where I am – and so do you.” He paused for a second, then added, “Whether Lee wants to admit it or not – so does he.”

Nelson relaxed into his chair. He should have expected this response. Chip was more valuable as Seaview’s XO. He was an organizational genius, and the department heads and junior officers all looked up to him. To a man, the chiefs, all of whom were older than he was, had the utmost respect for him – which spoke volumes – and most of the crew thought he walked on water. He’d been with Seaview since before her keel was laid, had supervised the installation of various electrical systems, and during her construction had managed to finish up a Masters in Electrical Engineering at the same time, using an unclassified version of his experience on Seaview as the basis for his thesis. From her sea trials through her commissioning, he’d kept Seaview running better than one hundred percent, resolving most problems long before they’d reached John Phillips’s ears – Nelson’s ears, now, since the Admiral knew Chip wasn’t letting even a whisper of trouble reach Crane’s ears, not with things between them in such a state of flux.

And Chip would be needed in the coming days to serve as a buffer between the crew and their new captain. Again Nelson reflected upon Crane’s impetuous method of boarding the boat when he’d reported at the beginning of the mission. Despite Chip’s best efforts, the reverberations from that particular stunt were still swirling around the boat, and Nelson knew they would continue to do so for some time to come. Crane would have to prove himself to this crew once he officially took command. And while Nelson had no doubts that, given time, Crane would win the men over, though the going would be a little rocky until then. Chip would have his hands full all around. 

Chip’s voice broke into Nelson’s thoughts. “Sir? Permission to speak freely?”

Nelson returned his attention to the younger man, drawn by an unfamiliar hesitation in Chip’s voice. “Of course, Chip.”

Chip compressed his lips into a thin line and waited a moment before speaking, as if he were gathering his thoughts. Then he asked, “Are you going to try to keep Lee?”

Nelson studied him for a long moment before answering with a question of his own. “Is that what you think I should do?”

Chip gave him a half-embarrassed smile. “Admiral…even thinking about giving you advice on this is way above my pay grade.”

Nelson gave him a half-smile. “Perhaps, but indulge me for a moment. You know him, and you know Seaview – hell, you know this boat better than anyone else alive besides me. I know you have an opinion. What do you think I should do?”

Chip didn’t hesitate. “Get him any way you can, sir,” he said honestly.

Nelson tapped another cigarette from the pack sitting on his desk, lit it, took a long drag, then blew out the smoke in a long exhalation before answering. “Won’t that cause problems for you?” Nelson smiled as Chip drew back slightly at the question. “Didn’t you think I’d notice his attitude toward you, son?”

Chip gave him a startled look. “Sir, I didn’t think you had the time to notice. You’ve been pretty busy.”

“Not that busy,” Nelson said dryly. “His attitude has been pretty obvious to anyone who knows the two of you.” Not to mention that it must puzzle you as much as it does me – if not more, Nelson thought, but didn’t voice that concern. “Will it cause you problems?” he repeated.

Chip didn’t bother to evade the question. Shrugging, he said, “Some, maybe. But I can get past them.” The unspoken, “I hope he can,” hung in the air between them. 

Nelson nodded, unsurprised. “That’s what I thought you’d say. I’ve already set the wheels in motion to acquire him.”

Chip didn’t seem at all fazed at the news. “Good.” 

Nelson gazed at him levelly. “I know I don’t have to tell you to keep this to yourself.”

“No, sir. You don’t.”Chip’s expression didn’t change, but there was a very slight edge of affront in Chip’s tone as he answered. Someone who didn’t know him well would have missed it completely.

But Nelson knew him all too well, and he hid his smile at the younger man’s reaction. While he could easily reprimand Chip for it, he didn’t exactly blame him, especially under the circumstances. Nelson would have had the same reaction in his own younger days. Instead, he took another drag on his cigarette, and as he exhaled, he asked, “Chip, I have to say, you’ve taken this news very calmly. Seaview should be yours – you’re her XO, and you’re been with her since the beginning. Don’t you want a command of your own? Tell me the truth.”

Chip took a deep breath, then sat up even straighter – something Nelson hadn’t thought was even possible -- and settled his palms on his thighs as if for support. “Would I like command?” he finally asked. He shrugged. “Someday – maybe. Isn’t it what we all aspired to when we entered the Academy? And I had the idea that I’d become Seaview’s captain when John retired. Obviously, though, that’s not to be. But right now, sir, I’m right where I need to be – where you need me to be. That’s good enough for me, Admiral.”

Nelson gave him an appraising look, reflecting on the strong sense of loyalty Chip possessed, thankful yet again that he was its beneficiary. “That’s now. What about a few years from now? What then?”

Chip looked away from Nelson and down at the desk, obviously considering his words. “I’d really have to see how things go, sir. If you ever build that second sub you’ve been talking about….” His words trailed off, and he was silent for a few beats. When he resumed speaking, his voice was strong, confident. “Right now, sir, I’m perfectly content to be Seaview’s XO. We have a lot of work to do. I’m looking forward to it.”

Nelson leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. “Chip, one more thing. Don’t you feel adequately prepared to take command?”

Chip’s blue eyes narrowed a bit. “Admiral… I feel remarkably prepared.” He paused. “Especially to command Seaview.”

Nelson allowed Chip’s mild dig to pass unnoticed. He could have taken the younger man to task for the comment, but as before, there was no point to it. Chip was right, and they both knew it. Nelson had chosen Chip because of his inherent abilities, and he’d shown that the decision Nelson had made had been the correct one.

Nelson nodded and smiled. “Thank you, Chip.” 

“You’re welcome, Admiral.” Chip gave Nelson a half-smile, tinged with an expression Nelson interpreted as disappointment despite his statement to the contrary, yet one still filled with resolve. “If you’ll excuse me, Admiral – I have a lot of work to do to get Seaview ready for her new captain.” 

Nelson gave a short laugh. “Knowing you, she’s ready right now.”

Chip gave him an appreciative smile. “Thank you for that vote of confidence, sir – and your trust. I hope I’m always worthy of it.” Then his expression changed slightly, as if he’d realized he’d revealed too much of himself. He clapped his hands on this thighs and stood. “By your leave, Admiral.”

“Chip.” Nelson watched the younger man stride from his cabin, his posture even straighter than it had been when he’d entered.

He sighed thoughtfully. That had been easier – on both of them – than he’d anticipated. 

Now, on to the next step – telling Lee Crane.


End file.
